Snow and the Bear

Selcen Ergun's first feature follows a young nurse posted to a remote village in Turkey. Winter refuses to end, the roads are closed, and rumours circulate that the bears have woken early. The more the nurse tries to do her job, the closer she comes to what the village does not discuss. The tension does not come from any single event. A man who disappears, nobody willing to speak, and the distrust directed at an outsider accumulate slowly. The bear stands here both as a real threat and as the answer to a fear nobody names. Merve Dizdar's performance is the film's centre. Her character is not a hero; she is uncertain, tired, and at times takes a wrong step. The film had its world premiere in the Discovery section of the Toronto International Film Festival. It is a Turkey, Germany and Serbia co-production. Who it's for: those who like rural drama in Turkish cinema and slow thriller narratives. Who it's not for: viewers wanting a clear answer; the film ends without disclosing its secrets.